Forever in Exile
by NinjaCowboy
Summary: The suffering never ends for her. After they left DOATEC in shambles, she expected some solace in the coming years. But the curse that has always haunted her shadow has returned, and brought with it changes that cannot be avoided or undone. No matter how hard Ayane fights her fate, it will come all the same. Her only choice is to accept it.


Chapter 1

Her fate was a forgone conclusion. She saw it in their eyes passed their upturned noses. The main dojo was dimly lit with sparse sunlight in the door cracks. The council sat in a semi-circle. Mostly old, curmudgeon ninjas past their prime.

Ayane sat in the center, on her knees. Her gaze was low to the floor, and her head full of shame. Hayate was on her left, but he hadn't spoken, much less looked at her, since he forbid her from leaving her room a week prior.

Shinji, the head of the council, leaned forward with what could best be described as restrained sneer. He clearly had been waiting for this day.

"Accused, you openly attacked one of our own; Kasumi, no less. We're aware that you've harbored a grudge against her spanning your life. So intense was this that you nearly killed her personal guard. There is no coming back from this," he said, leaning back.

The rest of the council was much worse at hiding their disdain for her. There was no sense trying to explain what happened, they wouldn't hear any of it. Normally, she wouldn't care what they had to say. But this time, it seemed, Hayate was not on her side.

"What do you propose we do, master Hayate?" asked Shinji. "Sending her to her room doesn't satisfy our clan's thirst for justice."

He said nothing. His posture was still as stone and his face blank. He wouldn't even glance at her.

"It was never meant to be a proper punishment. He merely needed time to consider what should be done," Shiden said.

He sat to her immediate right. Ironically, he was the only one that made some sort of attempt to comfort her through all this, but sadly, Ayane only sees Kasumi's doting father in him. She couldn't see that he tried to help her that day.

Naturally, they wouldn't bring Kasumi to the meeting. Not that she had a reason to be there anyway, the council was ready for justice as soon as word got out.

However, Ayame, their mother, was not there either. For Ayane, it was like she'd totally forgotten that her second daughter existed the moment Kasumi was allowed to return. She couldn't remember the last time she saw her.

All of their faces swirled in her head with cold, uncaring eyes as if finally judging her for being the being born a bastard. She felt alone and heartbroken as if she were a child again.

"Master Hayate, the council needs an answer," Shinji said once more.

He remained silent and still. Her lip quivered, and her stomach sunk further. She could no longer stand the silence. She tried to speak for him.

"Exec- "

"Exile," Shiden said, cutting her off. "Exile is the best course of action."

Her skin went cold. No, she would gladly accept any punishment but that.

"The council was addressing master Hayate, your time as leader ended years ago," Shinji said.

She tried to say it again.

"Ex- "

"Be silent, Ayane," Hayate said, coldly. "You are not allowed to speak."

"Then what is your decision, master Hayate? If you do not decide, the council will decide for you," Shinji said.

"M-master Hayate, please just-," she said, frantically. But she was cut off once more.

"Exile," Hayate said, standing up. "Ayane will be exiled. We have no use for ninjas who attack our own."

She stared at the floor in shock. She couldn't believe it.

"Are you sure that is enough?" asked a councilman. "Ito was a good ninja, and she damn near murdered him just to get at Kasumi. Now he is bedridden and broken. He may never lift a sword again!"

Other councilman echoed his sentiment.

"I've made my decision," Hayate said. "There is no punishment for her than to be banished."

He quickly left, slamming the door shut behind him.

Shiden looked to Ayane and was troubled by the sight of her. She was in shock; trembling and fighting back tears. He'd never seen her in such a state.

"Do you have anything more to say? If not, then leave banished one," said another councilman, shooing her away.

"Perhaps she actually wishes for a greater punishment?" said another.

She was completely shut down. Their words didn't reach her. Shiden quickly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet.

"I'll make sure she leaves," he said.

...

It was a long and agonizing walk for Shiden. She was silent the whole way and continued to look towards the ground. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but he knew he wouldn't reach her. She was mentally closed off from everything.

Hayate meant the world to her, as well as serving as his subordinate. Now that's gone. She wasn't even allowed to retrieve anything from her room. All she had was a black gi to symbolize her punishment.

Shiden felt nothing but pity for her.

As they walked by the archer towers, Shiden could hear their bows tightening. Given what she tried to say at the meeting, and what he witnessed from her a few days prior, he had to make sure she actually left, and would not turn around.

Once they passed the tree line, out of sight, he stopped her. Reaching up, he pulled the hair away from her neck. There was a scabbing gash across her neck.

She immediately jerked away.

"I see you've put nothing on it like I told you to," he said.

She turned and took two steps back towards the village.

"Don't," he said, grabbing her shoulder.

Again, she jerked away, making things difficult like always.

He tried grabbing her arm. This time she took a swing at him. His arm shot upward, repelling her punch. He wrenched his arm around hers, spun her and pushed upwards. He attempted to wrap his other arm around her neck to hold her but hesitated.

She jerked her head back, popping him in the nose, then smashed her heel into his foot. He let out a small grunt. It surprised him more than it hurt. He pushed her arm higher up her back before elbow striking. She let out a short groan before hitting the dirt.

"Sloppy," he said as she pushed her face off the ground.

"I can tell you haven't eaten in days either. You had no energy in your moves. Stand up!" he shouted.

Shakily, she got to her feet.

"Now turn around and look me in the eyes, Ayane," he said.

Of course, she did no such thing and started towards the village again. In a flash she was swept off her feet and slammed back first into a nearby tree. He angrily braced his arm against her throat.

"You are the most stubborn, obstinate person I've ever met and you're just going to throw yourself to the arrows? How dare you?" he said in a low, irritated voice. "What would that accomplish?"

He heard shuffling leaves coming towards them

"Do me a favor and try to give a damn about yourself in front of your mother," he said, pushing away from her. She coughed a little, slumping against the tree.

As if on que, the wind picked up again and the beautiful Ayame gracefully stepped from behind a tree.

She ignored him. Upon seeing Ayane, she quickly knelt down in front of her. She gently pulled her chin up and found tears.

"My sweet Ayane. There's no reason to cry," she said. "You still have so much to live for; no more tears."

Ayane was surprised to see her and realized she shouldn't be. Of course, she was there. Despite her racing mind, her mother had always been there for her. The feeling of shame overwhelmed her again.

As Ayame wiped away her tears, Ayane leaned forward, resting her head just under her mother's chin. Ayame cradled her sobbing daughter, doing her best to hold in her own tears. Ayane reached up and held on to her mother's arms.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't make it," Shiden said.

"The council is fooling themselves if they think they can forbid me from seeing my daughter," she said. "What's-hey…"

Her arm had a little blood on it. She pulled back and looked at Ayane's neck.

"Ayane, what's this? What happened?" she asked, worriedly.

Ayane had almost forgot. She quickly pulled away.

"Sustained in a fight. She is a ninja after all," Shiden said.

"What fight could she possibly get this in when she's been in her room for the past week?" she asked with growing concern.

"Obviously an old wound that reopened," he said. "Think nothing more of it."

He couldn't tell her the truth, it would just make things more complicated.

"For the gods' sake, Shiden. I'm not going to ignore it," she said, pulling out a pouch.

Shiden didn't mean to come off as callous, but perhaps it was for the best, he thought. She didn't need to know her daughter almost killed herself.

She dipped her fingers into an herbal cream then reached for the wound. Ayane jerked away at first, but her mother placed her hands on her face and looked into her eyes.

"Please, Ayane. There's no need for that," she said.

Ayame could see from the tear marks and fearful eyes how scared she was. Like Shiden, she had never seen her like this.

Reluctantly, Ayane exposed the cut and let her mother apply the medicine. It still hurt, despite her mother's gentle touch, but it did help calm her down a little.

After a minute, Ayame pulled out some cloth, and wrapped it around her daughter's neck. she knew she could tell her daughter many things. About how everything would be okay; that Hayate doesn't really hate her. But now, she wasn't sure if her own words would ring true. Not this time.

"He's late as well," Shiden said.

"He'll be hear," Ayame said.

Ayane perked up for a second, suddenly hopeful. But her hopes were dashed.

A man dropped from the trees nearby.

"I didn't want to interrupt," Ryu said. "I don't wish to sound absolutely absurd but, I've come for your daughter like you asked, Ayame."

Jokes, that's what she needed, she thought. She stood up, angrily. Nothing like everyone making even more decisions for her to make it all better.

At long last, she spoke.

"What the hell is this?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Ayame said, standing up. "You can't just leave with nowhere to go."

"So now I have a babysitter?" Ayane said in a rising tone.

"Yes," Shiden said, bluntly.

"I'm not a god damn child anymore!" she shouted. "I can take care of myself!

"Ayane, please stop!" Ayame said. "You can't stay here anymore! That's all there is to it. You have to leave, and you can't come back. If you do, they will try to kill you."

Ayane opened her mouth to speak, but her mother held up her hand to cut her off.

"And I'm beyond terrified because I'm not so sure you wouldn't let them," she said, fighting tears.

Ayane was taken back while Shiden sighed to himself. Of course, she knew. She wasn't stupid. No amount of covering could hide that fact from her.

"Please, just go with him. Find a new life for yourself and put a mother's mind at ease," she said calmly.

Ayane was quiet. The shame had come back again. She closed her eyes in frustration, sighing. She nodded.

Ayame was all at once relieved. It was the best she'd felt in a long while.

"Thank you, Ayane," she said. "I can sleep at night as long as you try."

"Just remember for me," she said, putting something in her hand. "What I said to you on that waterfall years ago. You, Kasumi, Hayate, and me. Our blood is stronger than any shinobi code. Never forget that."

It was her bandana. Her mind was so concerned with the meeting she'd left it in her room. Her mother had retrieved it for her.

"Try to take care of this one…," she said, smiling.

Ayane stared at the purple cloth in her hand. She was mad at herself for forgetting it. She thought she would go mad after losing her first one to a bullet at DOATEC.

Ayame pushed her daughter's hair to the side and gently kissed her forehead. Naturally, Ayane was somewhat surprised, and maybe even a little embarrassed.

"You have a place in this world," she said. "Believe that. I do."

Ayane was at a loss. Everything was moving so fast, she couldn't think straight. Her mind was racing, and her face showed it.

"You don't have to say anything," Ayame said. "Just go."

"She's right," Shiden said. "You can't afford to linger any longer."

It was infuriating being pushed and pulled like this. Her life had just been destroyed and she had no idea what to say. She looked into her mother's eyes, holding back tears again. She could see her mother was doing the same.

Ayane closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, she turned to Ryu. He nodded his head away from the village. With a final sigh, she started walking.

Ryu gave them a comforting nod before following closely behind her.

Shiden wrapped his arm around Ayame's shoulders. She watched through the autumn leaves until Ayane disappeared. She broke down after that.


End file.
